A working website uses several services, and each one can expire separately. Knowing which does what makes it clear where a renewal is due.
The registrar holds the registration of your domain name. It has the expiry date for the name itself and the renewal settings. Without renewal there, the name itself lapses.
DNS records say where the website and email for the domain live. Often the registrar also runs DNS, but it can be a separate service. If you change DNS provider, the records must move with it.
The hosting provider runs the server that delivers the website. It has its own plan, with its own renewal date. It can lapse without affecting the name, and then the site disappears.
The certificate is issued by a certificate authority, often through the host. It has its own end date, usually shorter than the others. When it ends, the site shows a warning even though everything else is fine.
SSL Domain Detective puts certificate and domain registration dates side by side, so the two that matter most are in one list. Open SSL Domain Detective
SSL Domain Detective is now available on the App Store.
Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
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